President Trump To Keep 'Disastrous' Iran Deal — For Now

WASHINGTON, DC — President Trump will keep in place the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran, at least for now, despite the president's history of calling it "disastrous" and his pledge to dismantle the agreement. The administration announced Wednesday that it would levee new penalties on Iran and China in response to Iran's ballistic missile program but would keep in place sanctions relief that President Obama's team granted in exchange for Tehran reigning in its nuclear ambitions.

"We are communicating to the U.S. Congress that the United States continues to waive sanctions as required to continue implementing U.S. sanctions-lifting commitments in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," State Department official Stuart Jones said in a statement. The "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" is the formal name of the Iran Deal.

He continued: "Last month the Treasury Department imposed the first human rights-related sanctions designations against Iranian individuals and entities since December 2014, and we will continue to pursue initiatives around the world that uphold our core values of promoting and protecting human rights.”

Republicans widely panned the Obama administration's agreement with the Iranians, as did Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump himself spoke with particular force against the deal, citing it as an example of the failure of American politicians to reach agreements that benefit the United States.

But as tensions continue to simmer between the U.S. and North Korea over Kim Jong Un's flexing of his country's nuclear and ballistic capabilities, it seems the administration has decided to embrace the status quo regarding Iran — at least, for now.

Instead of attacking the fundamentals of the deal, the administration is targeting Iran's ongoing efforts to develop ballistic missiles.

“This Administration is committed to countering Iran’s destabilizing behavior, such as Iran’s development of ballistic missiles and support to the Assad regime," said Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin in a statement Wednesday. "It is alarming that individuals involved with Iran’s missile program are assisting the brutal Assad regime, and we are taking action to curtail this behavior. These sanctions target Iranian officials as well as a China-based network that are providing support to Syria and supplying items to further Iran’s ballistic weapons program.”

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